 | Eiriksjokull from the north (photographer unknown) |
Eiríksjökull
5495 ft (1675 m) . |
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| Location: | Western Iceland, 60 miles (100 km) NE of Reykjavik | ||
| Lat / Long: | 64.8° N, 20.4° W | ||
| Volcanic Type: | Tuya | ||
| Volcanic Status: | Dormant / extinct | ||
| First Ascent: | |||
| First Ski Descent: | |||
| Skiable Vertical: | up to 4000 ft (1200 m) | ||
| Eiriksjokull is the highest mountain in western Iceland, a spectacular table mountain (or "tuya") formed by subglacial eruptions which melted through to the surface of the former ice sheet. Located just northwest of the major icefield Langjokull, the mountain is long dormant now and most likely extinct. As with most tuyas, Eiriksjokull is nearly surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, in this case 1500-2000 ft (500-600 m) high. The only standard climbing routes are via the two glaciers which spill from the northeast side of the summit icecap towards the valley below. These also represent the only viable ski routes through the cliff bands, although the summit dome does offer gentle descents of up to 2600 vertical feet (800 m) to the west (as long as one stops before dropping off the cliffs!). | |||
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More photos and info about routes, access, etc. may be added in the future ... |
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| Topographic map of Eiriksjokull (1:100,000 scale) <click to enlarge> |
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